Variations: Ki- sikil- lil- la- ke, Ki- sikil- ud- da- ka- ra (“the maiden who is as the light”), LILITH
In ancient Sumeria Kiskil- Lilla was a female, vampiric demon of the night. She is mentioned in the prologue to the Epic of Gilgamesh. Her name, Kiskil- Lilla, translates to mean “Lila’s maiden,” as in the “beloved companion of Lila.” Gilgamesh’s father, Lila (or Lillu, sources conflict), was said to have been an INCUBUSand was known for assaulting women as they slept.
Source: Gray, The Mythology of All Races, 362; Lurker, Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses, 192, 208; Rose, Spir- its, Fairies, Gnomes, 181
Koldun
(Coal- DUNE)In Russia, a koldun is a vampiric sorcerer whose name means “one who uses magic.” (The female form of the word is koldun’ia.) Generally speaking, he is a poor man of marginal social sta- tus among his people, who victimize him while simultaneously asking for his assistance. The koldun, in life, uses his magic to do harm to oth- ers, either by evil inclination or because he was hired to do it, accepting jobs out of whimsy if not financial necessity.
Kolduns are carefully watched by the people of the community that they live in or near, as they are both feared and respected. A koldun who has accumulated a great amount of magical knowl-
edge has the ability to “spoil,” a power that causes crops to fail and causes illness and death to live- stock and people. Apart from his herbal lore, the sorcerer has a power source that he can tap into— a vampire that gives him the ability to cast spells. Although the koldun is a human, it may be possible that he is a LIVING VAMPIRE, but after his
death (particularly if he dies by committing sui- cide, dies by drowning, or was never baptized), he will return to unlife as a vampire himself.
Source: Oinas, Essays on Russian Folklore, 121; Paxson, Solovyovo, 165–66; Ryan, The Bathhouse at Midnight,
39, 43, 50–52, 68, 73–90; Warner, Russian Myths, 65
Kosac
(CO- sac)Variations: Orko, Prikosac
In Croatia, when a member of the community returns to unlife, its face red and with an elastic body, it is called a kosac. By day it lies helplessly in its grave. However, at night the vampiric
REVENANT returns to its former hometown,
knocking on doors, and drinking the blood of anyone who answers; it is especially interested in attacking its former spouse. Victims remember only falling into a deep sleep and awakening feel- ing tired and drained of energy (see ENERGY VAMPIRE). Kosacs can also spread a mysterious
and fatal disease. Although it is impervious to being staked, it can be destroyed by beheading.
Croatia was the site of the first “modern- day vampire epidemic.” In 1672 it was reported that Giure Grando of Khring, located on the Istrian Peninsula, returned to unlife and was responsible for causing many deaths.
Source: Bryant, Handbook of Death, 99; Dundes, Vampire Casebook, 145; Jones, On the Nightmare, 114;
Perkowski, The Darkling, 86, 92
Kosci
Variations: Koscima (masculine); Koscicama (feminine)
Kosci is a Croatian word that is used to describe
all vampires in general, but there is also a specific species of vampiric REVENANTthat is called by
this name as well. The kosci, as a species, is cre- ated when a person dies by drowning or was an adulterer or murderer in life. Its first victim is al- ways the last person it argued with in life. When it returns, the kosci will relentlessly seek him out, consume his heart and soft tissue organs, and drain his body completely dry of blood. After this victim is killed, it will move on to others, sneak- ing into their homes, raping women, eviscerating anyone it can, and consuming their organs. It spreads a variety of nonfatal illnesses in its wake, predominantly of which is diarrhea.
Only a stake made of BLACKTHORNwood is
strong enough to pierce the skin and penetrate into the heart of a kosci. Then the body must be decapitated and have its knees destroyed with ei- ther an axe or a sword.
Source: Perkows, The Darkling, 87–88, 92; Riccardo, Liquid Dreams, 46
Kozlak
(CAUSE- lack)Variations: Kuzlak, Orko, Ukodlak
In the Dalmatian region of Croatia, the ko- zlak is the vampiric spirit of a child who was weaned before its time and then died. When it returns to unlife, it acts much like a poltergeist, breaking dishes and throwing pots and pans. It can also shape- shift into a bat or a small carrion animal so that it can attack livestock, draining the animals of some blood (it can as- sume a solid yet nondescript form as well). While in this physical state, the kozlak can be hypno- tized with a branch of HAWTHORN, and once it
has been lulled into a trancelike state, it can be stabbed through the heart with a stake made of
HAWTHORNor a ritualistically blessed dagger. It
is best if a Franciscan monk performs the destruc- tion.
Source: Bunson, Vampire Encyclopedia, 146; Dundes, Vampire Casebook, 70; Perkowski, The Darkling, 38
Krappa
(CRAP- pa)A vampiric creature and REVENANTfrom Japa-
nese lore, the krappa is created when a woman dies in childbirth. When the creature returns, it looks just like a normal woman until it separates its head from its body and flies out, dangling entrails, in search of its favorite prey—children and women in labor. As it flies, it drips a toxic bile that, if comes in contact with human flesh, will cause blisters and infectious open sores. The krappa hates children and takes great de- light in terrorizing them as it feeds. It has a long, serpentine tongue that it inserts into the child’s anus and drains their blood from inside their body.
The krappa usually hunts by night when it is impervious to attack, but it can hunt during the day if it chooses. There is only one way to de- stroy the vampire. First it must be discovered who the vampire is. Then, one must wait until such a time comes that the head goes off hunting dur- ing the day. While the head is detached, the body must be discovered and destroyed. When the head returns, there will be nothing left for it to reattach to and it will die.
Source: Dorson, Folk Legends of Japan
Krassy
(CRAS- ee)In Laos and Thailand the word krassy is a slang word that means “vampire.”
Source: Guiley, The Complete Vampire Companion
Kravyad
(CRAV- yad)In India the word kravyad (“flesh eater”) refers to anything that consumes flesh, including ani- mals, cannibals, and funeral pyres. There is also a type of vampiric sprit that is called kravyad be- cause it feeds off human flesh. It is a hideously ugly thing with teeth made of iron.
Source: Dowson, Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology, 160; Macdonell, Vedic Mythology, 164; Roy, The Later Vedic Economy, 223–34; Singh, Vedic Mythol- ogy, 117
Krsnik
(KRES- nic)Variation: Crusnik, Kresnik
In Slovenia when a child is born with a clear or white caul, the child is destined to be a protector of his people with shamanlike abilities, a vam- pire hunter called a krsnik (“protector of the clan”). Although he can combat any type of vam- pire, he specializes in the slaying of two specific types of vampires: the KUDLACand the VUKOD-
LAK. The krsnik has the ability to shape- shift
into a white or multicolored boar, bull, dog, or horse in order to combat the vampire, as it will also have the ability to shape- shift into the form of a solid black animal.
Other natural- born vampire hunters are the
DHAMPIRE, dhampiresa, DJADADJII, LAMPIJEROVIC,
VAMPIJEROVIC, and the VAMPIRDZHIJA.
Source: Bunson, Vampire Encyclopedia, 146; Oinas, Essays on Russian Folklore, 116; Perkowski, The Darkling,
31
Kruvnik
(CREW- nic)In Slavic vampire lore, if a person is not prop- erly mourned or does not have the proper burial rites said over his body, he can return as a type of vampiric REVENANTknown as a kruvnik (“blood-
sucker”). A person who committed suicide died a violent death, or led an evil life can also return as this type of vampire as well. At night, it will return and attack the people from the town where it used to live. It sometimes even tries to return to its wife and continues to live there as if it never died. If the wife accepts the vampire, takes it in and loves it, at the end of three years the kruvnik will become a human man again. Any children that are conceived from their union will be born a DHAMPIRE. However, if the vampire returns home and the wife does not want the vampire’s at-
tention or affections, it can be warded off with prayers to the god Troyan.
The kruvnik can be destroyed by beheading it and then placing it back in its grave with its head between its legs. Then its hands and feet must be severed as well. Finally, a stake of aspen wood must be driven through its heart.
Source: Alexander, Mythology of All Races, vol. 3, 232;
Senn, Were-wolf and Vampire in Romania, 66; Taylor,
Death and the Afterlife, 392
Krvoijac
(Kra- VOY- jac)Variations: Kropijac, Krvopijac, Obors, Obours, Opiri
In Bulgaria, krvoijac is a generic word used to describe a vampire as well as a specific species of vampiric spirit. It is believed that if a person drinks wine or smokes during Lent, he will be- come a krvoijac when he dies. For the first 40 days of UNDEATH, the vampire remains in its
grave because when the person died his bones be- came a soft gelatinous substance. It needs this time for its new skeleton to grow. After its bones have grown, the body that the spirit occupies looks like a person who has only one nostril. Its tongue is barbed to allow it to drink blood from its victims, but it prefers not to attack humans. The krvoijac does not have fangs like many other vampires, but it does not necessarily need them, as it can eat regular food. When it moves, it cre- ates sparks that give it away for what it truly is.
Compared to other vampires, the krvoijac is hardly a real threat to humanity, but should one turn violent and need to be found, it rests by day in its grave. A nude adolescent of proven virgin- ity is placed on the back of a black foal, which is led through a graveyard. The grave that the foal balks at is the one that the krvoijac occupies. Wild roses placed in the COFFINwith the body
and additional strands of the garland used to tie the COFFINshut will trap the vampire within. Next, a vampire slayer such as a DJDADJIImust
be hired to bottle the vampire’s spirit and destroy it in fire (see BOTTLING).
Source: Ronay, Truth about Dracula, 22; Triefeldt, People and Places, 21; Volta, The Vampire, 144
Kudlac
(CUD- lac)Variation: Kudlak
Kudlac is the abbreviated form of the Russian word vorkudlak, which is used in the Istrian Peninsula in Slovenia, but each word also repre- sents a separate species of vampire. A kudlac is a person who is born with a red or dark- colored caul (see LIVING VAMPIRE). Predisposed toward
evil, he will develop the ability to leave his body
at night to fly through the air looking for victims of opportunity to drain life- energy from (see EN-
ERGY VAMPIRE). He will also have the ability to cast magic that he will use to harm the people of his community. Eventually, he will learn how to shape- shift into a black boar, bull, and horse. When he ultimately dies, he will return to unlife as a vampiric REVENANT. In death, as in life, the
kudlac takes great pleasure in the pain and suffer- ing it causes, relishing every moment. Fortu- nately, it is relentlessly hunted by a highly fo- cused vampire hunter that specializes in slaying kudlacs—a KRSNIK.
If a KRSNIKis not near or to be found, anyone can exhume the corpse of a person who is sus- pected of being a kudlac and cut the tendons be- hind the knees to prevent it from rising from its grave. Then impale it with a stake made of
HAWTHORNwood.
Unlike other vampires who are born destined to become vampires, the kudlac has a way to es- cape from the curse of UNDEATHif he truly seeks
it. While still alive, he must confess all his sins in earnest to God and be forgiven for them. After absolution, he must then never hurt another liv- ing soul for as long as he lives.
Source: American Association for South Slavic Stud-
ies, Balkanistica, vol. 16, 121; McClelland, Slayers and
Their Vampires, 105; Oinas, Essays on Russian Folklore,
116; Senn, Were-wolf and Vampire in Romania
Kuei
(GWA)Variations: K’UEI
In China, there is a vampiric demon known as a kuei. Horrific in appearance, it possesses and animates the corpse of the recently deceased. It seeks out bodies that did not have proper burial rites said for them or performed properly. As it ages, the kuei gains the ability to fly with its corpse, but until that time, it is limited as to how it can attack. The kuei is incapable of climbing over even the simplest of walls or fencing.
Source: Latourette, The Chinese, 36, 164; Strickmann, Chinese Magical Medicine, 24 –26, 72–75; Summers, Vampire: His Kith and Kin, 237; Werne, China of the Chinese, 231–33
K’uei
(GUAY)In Chinese vampire lore there are a number of blood- drinking REVENANTand the word that is used to describe them collectively is k’uei, which translates to mean “deficient.” The idea of a k’uei being an undead entity stems from the belief that every person has two souls (see UNDEATH). The first soul, hun, is considered to be the superior soul. A person does not receive it until he is born;
it enters into his body with his first breath. The second soul,P’O, is seen as the inferior soul. It is present in a human even when he is a fetus, but it merely exists in the body; it is what makes a person alive until he receives his superior soul. When a person dies, his P’Ois supposed to leave the body. However, through a variety of methods or reasons, should the P’Onot leave the body or
if any amount of it stays behind, the k’uei that is created at the time of death will interact with the
P’O, causing unlife to occur.
Source: Bunson, Vampire Encyclopedia, 147; Ouellette, Physics of the Buffyverse, 4; Rose, Giants, Monsters and Dragons, 424